I’m used to my life and belongings fitting inside one car. From 2012 to 2014, I moved 4 times, and each time, no U-haul was necessary. But now, in this latest Adventure in Moving, I need to clean out the junk.
Right now, I live in a house. It’s a small house built to be a father-in-law suite for my neighbor, but still a house. This next move will be into a new apartment. I’ll be losing at least 300 square feet, if not more. So I can’t keep everything.
So how am I picking what stays and what goes?
Well, I’m sorting my things by category.
I’ve already cleaned out my closet of everything I no longer wear. I also got rid of the things that don’t fit me. And then I took those to the local YWCA.
Next came the books. That category was harder for me. Working as a comic artist, I get a surprising amount of books from comic conventions and meeting with other creators. I determined that the best I can do is keep my book collection to 4 and a half shelves. (I’m brainstorming how to shrink it down even more than that, though). I got rid of the books I knew I could get at the library easily. I also got rid of books that I considered “aspirational,” as in “one day I’ll read these and become a better person!”
Nope. Got rid of those books. I’m only keeping the books that bring me joy.
Then I cleared out paperwork. Thankfully, with credit cards, student loans, and some other documents having online statements and backups, that made it easier to clear out papers.
CDs and DVDs? I thought I would have trouble with that. But I think all the sorting I’ve done before made sorting these discs WAY easier. I condensed a lot of them into a CD holder and got rid of the cases…responsibly. Always recycle.
That’s the secret about cleaning out your space: start with the easy-to-clear stuff.
With every category you clear, you level up just a little bit more, and it becomes easier to get rid of the things that no longer make you happy or have any use.
The next category to tackle is the bathroom stuff, which should be easy. The plan is that by the time I get to the work- and/or hobby-related stuff I have, I’ll have leveled up my sorting to the point that this will be easy.
Will I be able to fit all of my things into my SUV when I’m done? Probably not. I’ll be taking some bulky furniture with me, like my bed and drafting table, as well as my convention gear.
Will I be able to fit my stuff into a smaller U-haul? That’s the hope. And that’s why I’m going to keep sorting and paring down everything.
What am I doing with the stuff I’m getting rid of? Well, I’m donating it to the local YWCA.
The YWCA has seen an uptick in women and children moving into their location. As it turns out, an economic crisis worsens domestic abuse, making people more likely to seek shelter. At the YWCA, the women and children can recover in peace, but they always need things, like socks, clothes in general, and bathroom supplies. After all, these ladies often only arrive with the clothes on their back and nothing else.
If you’re on a tidying journey of your own, I encourage you to look up a shelter local to you and donate your things to them. Trust me – they will use it. And they will be happy and grateful that you helped.
That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!
You. Are. Awesome.
